SIS took part in the nationwide civil defense drill at 2:00 p.m. on Aug. 31. High school students and faculty walked down to the cafeteria during their fourth-period class and waited at the lunch tables for twenty minutes. Gray Macklin, High School Principal, noted that citizens had to be in safety shelters within five minutes of the alarm, but SIS students were able to assemble in the cafeteria within three. Students were asked to remain silent during this short period of time due to the radio broadcasting that aired nationwide. 

“I understand the importance of the civil defense drill so I was hoping everyone was making their way to the proper area in an orderly fashion,” Steve Nave, World History teacher, said. “If this was not a drill, it would be of utmost importance to be efficient in getting to the proper place.” 

This drill was the nation’s first in over six years. Almost all of Korea’s 51 million citizens practiced evacuating to safe shelters, such as subway stations. Hospitals, railways, airplanes, and some other necessary transportation were exceptions and continued to operate normally. 

“Civil defense training is a basic exercise that needs to be familiarized to prepare for unforeseen situations,” Lee Sang-min, South Korea’s Interior Minister, said. 

In this case, “unforeseen situations” refers to possible air raids or missiles from North Korea. The drill comes just a month after North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, which marked a significant milestone in the military capabilities of North Korea. 

“Because of the looming threat of North Korea doing missile tests it is a good idea to be prepared for any situation that may arise,” Mr. Nave said.  Though 61.8 percent of South Koreans in a 2022 survey predicted that an all-out war between North and South Korea was unlikely, Han Duck-soo, the South Korean Prime Minister, advised citizens to take the drills seriously in case of an unexpected emergency.